


A Long Time Away

by Imgonnabeyourbubblegumwitch



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 18:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16046099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imgonnabeyourbubblegumwitch/pseuds/Imgonnabeyourbubblegumwitch
Summary: Luke made a promise to Thalia he didn't quite keep.(Based on the prompt "A Long Time Away" and Who Knew by Pink).





	A Long Time Away

"Forever," Luke said again, a touch of impatience creeping into his voice. She'd asked him to repeat it twice already. At first she'd just liked making him promise because no one else had ever bothered to make her promises. Now she might just be screwing with him. 

"That's a long time away," she pointed out.

He sighed. He'd been lying, one arm flung over his eyes, exhausted from a fight with a drakon. Now he sat up so he could meet her eyes.

"Forever," he said again, more firmly this time. "But if you ask me again, forever won't be such a freaking long away after all."

She threw her jacket at him out of principle, then regretted it a moment later when he didn't give it back. When she complained, he just grinned.

Ever since they'd gotten out of Halcyon's house, Luke had spent the evenings scribbling in his diary. It worried her. Everything about the time they'd spent with the son of Apollo had worried her. Part of her wanted to extract that old promise once more, but another part of her rebelled at the thought.

Annabeth didn't have so much pride. Seven was an age where you could get away with things that would sound soppy if she tried to voice them.

"Forever."

"You sure?" Annabeth asked him, critically. When she screwed her eyes up and looked down her nose, she looked more intimidating than any seven year old really had a right to look.

"We'll always be a family?" she reiterated, determined as ever.

"Always. Forever and ever," Luke promised.

Annabeth thought about that, her little face solemn.

"That's a long time away," she eventually decided, nodding as though Luke's answer was acceptable.

Thalia had never come as close to decking an immortal who probably didn't completely deserve it as she did with Zoe Nightshade.

"He promised," was all she managed to say, her voice tight with rage.

Zoe had just shrugged.

"Forever is a long time away."

Thalia's fists couldn't get any tighter. She walked away, skin electric and dragged Annabeth and Luke with her. What did Zoe Nightshade know?

She didn't remember being a tree. One minute she was fighting, praying Luke and Annabeth made it to safety, the next she was lying on a hill. She said something, didn't know what it was. The only question on her mind was what happened?

What happened?

At first all she could think was that Luke wouldn't do this.

What happened?

She realised later on that Zoe had been right. It froze her blood.

What happened?

How had Zoe known better? How had Luke done this?

If she'd thought through the fact that she'd have to confront Luke at the end of the quest, she probably wouldn't have been able to put a foot forward. She kept herself going through denial and when anyone reminded her about it she'd answer, as best she could, but her mind was somewhere else.

The fight was a long time away.


End file.
